Notes: Yeti was a small company little known  that made practically military if not weapons grade drinking cups and some literally cannonball proof coolers back in the day. I had heard of them through enthusiasts who were looking for bear proof durable coolers and bought a couple of their cups ( Old Fashioned size) for some boating friends I knew who have a large catamaran in the Caribbean for Christmas one year.I knew that the Yeti Rambler cups were well insulated easy to clean and could be used as weapons to repel boarders by their weight and construction. The company has been discovered now by hoards of people and their products have now reached a cult status in certain circles.

They have also hugely expanded their offering in types, sizes and number. Here is our first attempt at reviewing one of their plethora of items. More will follow as time and money ( on my part) permit.

Appearance: Well built, brushed stainless steel finish outside, satin finish inside, about 8 inches high (200 cm) and weighing in at almost 1 pound ( 451 grams) with clear plastic lid, this is far superior construction than most chug or tumbler cups out there. I dare say the steel may be thicker than what is on my car. Double walled and vacuum sealed the walls are isolated from each other so there is little thermal transmission – in plainer english , it keeps the hot or cold in your drink and not on your hand, nor does it sweat. A handy feature not just for your drink , but for yourself and anything you might want to put this on.

First Impression: Bit of a beast in size and weight, but that is what you are paying for. No obvious seams or faults almost one piece construction except for the bottom cup ( to get that double walled vacuum seal build). Heavy duty and tough overall and excellent quality build.

Directions and Instructions: Slight tongue in cheek Texas humor and inclusive directions on cleaning and use. Five year guarantee , which while not a lifetime guarantee is a helluva lot more than you will get for that no name steel tumbler you bought at Target or Walmart.

Testing: Fits nicely in most mug or cup holders . Holds temperatures of drinks quite well – much longer than a single wall product. Does not transfer noticeable hot or cold to outside and does not sweat or frost up in humid conditions.Clear plastic lid with rubber “O” ring has hole for sipping and one for vent. Downside is no seal, but no complicated mechanism to open or try to clean later. there are a plethora of aftermarket lids in every color or feature you can imagine – so get one if this is a priority. The same applies to handles as you may find this tumbler a bit big for your hand, or you want to hold it differently. The only proviso to that is a warning that all the handles are slip on – so if you use the handle with a lanyard you may find you still have the handle and no mug if you are not careful. Yeti themselves has also finally jumped into that market with a variety of handles, lids and even lid and straw combinations, and while I have not tried them yet, given their overall build quality and commitment I might look at those first even if they don’t come in the color you might want.

Other: Designed in Austin Texas, built in China. Plain steel bottom – a rubber non skid piece of neoprene or some such might be a nice touch. Also we did find that no, they do not float, if that is an issue for you I would suggest adding on of those keychain floats or a neoprene sleeve to it

Final Thoughts: Well designed and built. Pretty much the Rolls Royce of tumblers both in quality and cachet. While they are expensive at least they are well built. Highly recommend for durability, ease of cleaning, and the fact that it keeps my drinks hot or cold way longer than anyone else’s

Website:  yeti.com

Simple, straightforward, fast loading, and easy to navigate. A bit touchy on the navigation panels perhaps (could change a touch slower) but otherwise like their gear excellent and gets the job done,